11/1/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Southern women's soccer team saw their season come to an end at the hands of top-seed Radford in the first round of the 2013 Big South Championships as the Buccaneers fell on the road to the Highlanders, 2-0.
CSU, who made the tournament as the eight-seed overall following wins over UNC Asheville, VMI, Winthrop and Gardner-Webb, kept the match close throughout a majority of the contest, but late scores in both halves by the Highlanders helped Radford advance into the semifinals, which will be held on at the Coastal Carolina Soccer Complex in Conway, S.C. next weekend.
Seniors Toni Lashley and Allison Lewis combined for five shots and three shots on goal for the Buccaneers in their final collegiate match, while fellow senior Chloe Urig was a member of the tough CSU defense on the night as Charleston Southern faced 28 Radford shots in the contest. Goalkeeper Caitlin Cody kept CSU in the match with 10 saves on 12 RU shots on goal, but her opponent in the net, Che' Brown, recorded three saves in recording the shutout win.
Rachel Conway and Emma Faubert opened the scoring attempts on the evening as Radford's Conway fired toward the CSU goal at the 2:59 mark for the opening shot, but her attempt sailed wide. Faubert posted the Bucs first shot of the contest, but her attempt was unable to make it through the Radford defense, getting blocked on its path to keep the Bucs at bay.
Asyia Mitchell provided early excitement for the Highlanders when her shot at the 11:05 mark connected with the cross bar, but neither team was able to generate an early goal as both teams settled in for a battle between the boxes.
Cody had three early saves for the Buccaneers in the first half before Sydney Golden provided the opening score of the contest, connecting on her sixth goal of the season after taking a shot from 25 yards out. Her attempt off the pass from Miranda Carlson followed a low trajectory and found the back of the net, past Cody to put the Highlanders up 1-0 at the 39:02 mark.
Radford attempted to increase their lead just before the break, but Kara Wade and Julie Ruh'e's attempts were both snagged by Cody as the teams went into the break with the Highlanders holding on to the 1-0 advantage.
The second half against saw Radford challenge early as Shannon Nasca and Britney Kendall both fired shots on goal in the first five minutes of the period, but Cody proved up to the task with a pair of saves. Faubert also posted an attempt for the Buccaneers at the 47:38 mark, but her attempt sailed wide as the Bucs could not take advantage to even the score.
Lashley's shot attempt at the 65:15 mark sailed wide for the Bucs, while Lewis provided a spark of offense for the Bucs with a pair of corner kicks and a shot in a three minute span, but her attempt was snagged by Brown to keep the shutout intack.
With time winding down, the Highlanders added a late insurance goal by Melanie Priestly, off the passes from Sahar Aflaki and Conway. Her attempt at the 88:55 mark put the game away and clinched the Radford 2-0 victory.
For the night, Charleston Southern was outshot 28-7 on the evening and Radford held the 6-3 edge in corner kicks.
The Buccaneers see their season end with a 7-12-1 overall record, 4-7 record in Big South Conference action.
